The Present and Future by James White

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 9, 1874

The Present and Future.

By James White

AFTER a quarter of a century of earnest toil we gird on the armor anew to engage with fellow-laborers in the work of building up the cause upon the Pacific Coast. The present is a time of thrilling interest. The providence of God has been opening the way, and providing the facilities and means ready to our hands, for the rapid spread of light and truth. We now enjoy many advantages which we did not have twenty-five years since.

Then we had no publications. Now we have about one hundred different publications, in which the reasons for our faith and hope are brought out with clearness and strength.

Then there were but very few friends and supporters of the cause, and these were generally poor. And those who entered upon the work of teaching unpopular Bible truth were penniless men. The progress of the cause was therefore very slow, from so humble a beginning, and against obstacles which at times seemed impossible to surmount. Now friends and supporters are comparatively numerous; and with the system of benevolence adopted by our people, and the spirit of sacrifice which should lead them to present their freewill offerings before the Lord, the cause in all its branches, and with all its enterprises to facilitate the work, and give light to the world, can be fully sustained without casting burdens upon any.

The people then seemed indifferent to the voice of warning, and we were able to reach only a very few. The positions of our opponents seemed to satisfy the masses and hold them from investigation. Now, old opinions and modern heresies are being shaken by the power of simple truth, and our opponents are losing their hold upon the people. And there is an ear to hear, and a spirit of investigation, and an anxiety on the part of many to know what the truth of God is, that we never expected to witness.

Certain opponents, who hold some precious truths in common with us, have treated us in their prints and in their pulpit efforts in the most overbearing manner. God seems to be taking these in hand, and is chastising them by sending a spirit of division and scattering among them. The God of truth and of justice is evidently giving us the field, and by his gracious providences is inviting our people out from their seclusions and narrow modes and spheres of action to occupy it. And by his Holy Spirit he is preparing the minds and the hearts of the people to hear and read the reasons of our hope and faith, and is giving converting power to his word. In God we battle for truth against error, and in him we shall have the victory.

The present is a time of comparative peace among the Christian nations of the globe, and a most favorable period for extending our missions and pushing forward the work. We have only to refer to the difficulties under which we labored during the American civil war to form an opinion of the obstacles that will retard the progress of the cause in the stormy future, when, in fulfillment of the word, the spirit of unrest and anger shall seize the nations.

When recreating in the Rocky Mountains in the summer of 1873, we were led out to speak of the future in the REVIEW AND HERALD, under the caption of “Broader Plans,” in paragraphs which follow. And from present omens it appears that we did not express our views and feelings in too strong terms:—

“When we consider the extent and magnitude of the work to be accomplished, as marked out in prophecy, the brief period in which it must be done, and how little comparatively is being done, we are forced to the conclusion that God requires of us broader plans and more vigorous efforts. It seems that the providence of God is far in advance of us.

“The fields are all white. There should be those to preach the truth, and circulate our works in the great thoroughfares of travel, in our principal cities, such as Boston, New York, Chicago and San Francisco. These large cities, and smaller ones also, must be entered, and tons of our publications in the different languages circulated. When one of our large cities shall be entered with a tent, a daily paper must be started in connection, as an advertising medium of the meetings in the tent, of our publications, and to give the substance of each day’s lectures for the instruction of the reading masses. We have altogether too long made child’s play of the message which God has committed to us to give to the people. Let us from this time have our efforts correspond with the magnitude and importance of the work.”

“There are scores of men in the ranks of Seventh-day Adventists who have become literally rich since they embraced the message. And when our ministers take hold of the work in a manner to inspire hope in our people that something is to be done, and the General Conference Committee, in a judicious manner, lay plans broad enough, our wealthy brethren and our brethren in more moderate circumstances, will back up the work with their means.”

“God is ready to do great things for his cause on the Pacific Coast. He has shown his willingness to work for his cause and people in California, especially in the year past, in sending them help when they needed it most in the sad crisis of last fall, and in greatly blessing the labors of his servants the present season. The General Conference Committee is disposed to extend the work up the coast, to Oregon and Washington Territory, and may send missionaries to that field soon.”

“We would here state to those who may regard these suggestions as fanciful, that nothing of any amount has ever been accomplished in our cause without laying plans, and persevering efforts to execute them. Those of our people who have neither faith nor interest in the prosperity of the cause, but have been willing to shut themselves up to their own interests in this life, have never been ready to second our plans and efforts to extend and push forward the work. It is no use to appeal to such in reference to laying broader plans.”

“But in hope that our words will be felt, we do appeal to our General Conference Committee, to the State Conference Committees, and to the officers of the Tract and Missionary Societies. The General Conference Committee, seeing the pressing wants of the cause, should lay their plans wisely and well, sufficiently extensive to meet present and future demands.” J. W.